Lawn sprinkling device



Nov. 1, 1955 J. K, LIVINGSTON LAWN SPRINKLING DEVICE Filed Sept. 21,1954 J /1. lg 146/295 ton INVEN TOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent2,722,457 LAWN SPRINKLING DEVICE Jay K. Livingston, Houston, Tex.Application September 21, 1954, Serial No. 457,392

4 Claims. (Cl. 299-144) This invention relates to lawn sprinklers, theprimary object of the invention being to provide a sprinkler which is soconstructed that the jets in one side of said sprinkler and throughwhich water is discharged, are arranged closer together than the jets inthe opposite side of the body, so that by inverting said body of thesprinkler, the d sprinkler range may be varied to meet variousrequirements of use.

An important object of the invention is to provide a hollow body havingan inlet pipe and a valve mounted therein, said valve operating toautomatically control the flow of water through the jets in the upperside of the sprinkler, cutting ofi. the discharge of water through thejets in the other side of the sprinkler or the side of the sprinklerwhich is disposed downwardly.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a sprinkler, constructed inaccordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the sprinkler.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the sprinkler comprises a hollowbody indicated generally by the reference character 5, the hollow bodyhaving outwardly bulged upper and lower surfaces 6 and 7 respectively,connected by a circumferentially extending elliptical side wall 8. Theoutwardly bulged surfaces of the body are provided with concentricoutwardly pressed portions 9 which strengthen the outwardly bulged upperand lower surfaces of the body.

The outwardly pressed portions 9 in the surface 6, are provided withopenings or jets 10 which are inclined outwardly with respect to theupper surface 6, so that streams of water passing from the jets 10 ofthe upper surface 6 will be directed laterally. Since these outwardlypressed portions are arranged near the periphery of the body portion, itis obvious that the sprays from the jets will be directed laterally,covering a wide area.

The lower surface 7 of the body portion is provided with jets oropenings 11, through which water passes in fine streams. Since theseopenings or jets 11 are disposed centrally of the lower surface 7, itwill be obvious that the area sprayed by water issuing from these jetsill be confined to a small area so that it is possible to "pert the bodyof the sprinkler to allow the water to pass \ugh the jets or openings 11and spray small areas bea walks, or in confined areas.

Spaced discs 12 are disposed between the outwardly bulged upper andlower surfaces 6 and 7, and the edges of the elliptical side Wall 8,providing a central water chamber 13 within the center of the sprinkler.The reference character 14 indicates a tubular valve housing havingreduced ends 15 fitted in openings formed centrally of the discs12. 1

This tubular housing 14 has its ends open to the water chambers 15formed between the discs 12 and bulged upper and lower surfaces 6 and 7of the sprinkler, so that water entering the tubular valve housing 14may pass into the water chambers 15. At each end of this tubular valvehousing, is a valve seat 16, the valve seats being disposed between theends of the tubular valve housing and the inlet ports 17 which arearranged in circular lines in said valve housing, as better shown byFigure 2 of the drawing.

Operating within the valve housing 14 is a ball valve 18, the ball valvebeing of a diameter to move longitudinally of the valve housing 14, toclose the inlet ports 17 at either end of the valve housing 14.

A threaded hose terminal 19 is formed as a part of the elliptical sidewall 8, so that water from a hose may be directed into the Water chamber13.

Directly opposite to the hose terminal 19, and secured to the ellipticalside wall, is an eye member 20, to which a suitable line or cable may beattached for effecting movement of the sprinkler, to relocate the same.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shownand described, when the sprinkler is positioned in a manner as shown byFigure 2 of the drawing, and water is directed to the water chamber 13,the water will pass through the ports 17 of the valve housing 14 whichare shown as open, and pass into the water chamber 15 at the upper sideof the sprinkler, the water discharging through the openings or jets 10in the concentric outwardly pressed portions 9. Because of the locationand construction of the openings or jets 10, it will be seen that jetsor streams of water will be directed laterally to cover a large area.

Should it be desired to spray a restricted portion of a lawn, it is onlynecessary to invert the sprinkler, whereupon the openings or jets 11 ofthe surface 7 of the sprinkler will be disposed upwardly and throughwhich water will be discharged in fine streams in a more contractedarea.

When the sprinkler is inverted, the ball valve 18 will fall by gravityto the narrow lower end of the valve housing 14, cutting off the supplyof water to the water chamber at the low side of the sprinkler, andopening the inlet ports at the narrow upper end of the valve housing,allowing the water to enter the water chamber 15' at the upper side ofthe sprinkler.

It will be seen that the operation of the valve is automatic and theflow of water to either chamber of the sprinkler is controlled by theposition of the body of the sprinkler, determined by the side of thesprinkler which is disposed upwardly.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A lawn sprinkler comprising a hollow body circular in plan, having anelliptical side wall and outwardly bulged side portions, said outwardlybulged side portions having sprinkler openings, discs disposed withinsaid body dividing the body into a central water chamber and lateralwater chambers from which water passes through said sprinkler openings,a tubular valve housing having open ends, extending through said discs,communicating with said lateral water chambers, said valve housinghaving openings in the wall thereof through which water enters saidvalve housing, valve seats between the openings of said valve housingand the ends thereof, a ball valve operating within said valve housingadapted to seat 2,722,4571 Patented Nov. 1, 1955 J on either valve seat,controlling the flow of water to either lateral chamber for discharge tosaid sprinkler openings.

2. A lawn sprinkler comprising a hollow body having sprinkler openingsin the side walls thereof, spaceddiscs secured within said body dividingsaid body into a central water chamber and lateral chambers, a tubularvalve housing disposed within said central water chamber communicatingsaid lateral chambers, said valve housing having rows of openingsadjacent to the ends thereof, valve seats within said valve housing, agravity operated ball valve movable between said valve seats adapted togravitate onto the lower valve seat closing said lower valve seat whensaid hollow body is resting on one side thereof, the other end of saidvalve housing being open admitting water to the upper water chamber, andsaid hollow body having an opening through which water enters saidcentral water chamber.

3. A lawn sprinkler comprising a hollow body having rows of sprinkleropenings formed in the sides thereof, spaced discs within said housing,dividing said housing into a central water chamber and lateral waterchambers from which water passes through said sprinkler openings, atubular valve housing disposed centrally of the central water chamber,the ends of said housing being open establishing communication betweensaid valve housing and lateral chambers, said valve housing having inletopenings through which water enters said tubular valve housing, a

ball valve adapted to gravitate to one end of said valve housing closingthe openings at one end of said valve housing and controlling the flowof water to said Water chambers, and said central water chamber havingan opening through which water is directed to said body.

4. A lawn sprinkler comprising a hollow body having rows of sprinkleropenings formed therein, spaced discs within said housing dividing thehousing into a central water chamber and lateral water chambers, avertical valve housing tubular in formation, supported by said discs,the ends of said valve housing being open establishing communicationbetween the valve housing and lateral chambers, said valve housinghaving inlet openings through which water enters the valve housing fromsaid central water chamber, and a ball valve operating within the valvehousing adapted to seat at the lower end of the valve housing closingthe passage between said valve housing and lower lateral water chamber,the opposite end of the valve housing being open directing water fromsaid central water chamber to the upper lateral water chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,166,374 Jackson Dec. 28, 1915 1,226,003 Peeper May 15, 1917 2,116,864Fehrenbach May 10, 1938 2,469,534 Wessels May 10, 1949

